Although anyone can expect to face charges if they're accused by police of driving drunk, the penalties are obviously much more severe in cases where someone else has died. Depending on the circumstances of the incident and a judge or jury's response to them, a motorist convicted in Oregon of driving under the influence of intoxicants in connection with a fatal crash could face a significant prison sentence.
A man from Cottage Grove, Oregon, is currently in jail after a fatal accident on Highway 99 Easter morning. According to Oregon State Police, the 33-year-old was driving his pickup truck around 3 a.m. when he lost control, crossed into opposing traffic and collided with another vehicle. The person driving that car, a 40-year-old Cottage Grove woman, was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead.
The pickup truck driver, who suffered minor injuries, was charged with second-degree manslaughter, DUII and reckless driving. Not much has been reported yet about him yet, including his blood alcohol level or whether he has any previous criminal record. But in addition to the typical penalties a first-time DUII conviction brings, the driver could be sentenced to several years in prison if he's convicted of the manslaughter charge.
According to a relative, the woman who died was driving a friend home who had had too much to drink. And the woman's daughter said her father was killed years ago in a drunk-driving accident. These details are bound to be brought up at trial, which could have a significant effect on the court's decision to convict the man. Given these circumstances, the man will need a solid, experienced defense team to represent him.
Source: KATU.com, "OSP: Drunk driver kills woman in Easter morning crash," April 8, 2012
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